Tata's role in trusteeship helped make India's future
The Asian Age — March 12, 2005

What do the following have in common?
A young Mahatma Gandhi fighting for racial equality in South Africa, India's pioneer gynaecologist Freny KR Cama, astrophysicist Jayant Narlikar, Gyanpeeth award-winning writer and actor Girish Karnad villagers in Kumaon, Garhwal and Himachal Pradesh, a rural women's group in Kutch, Gujarat, a section of the art collection at the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai and the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences in New Delhi.

Everything in this diverse list is intrinsically linked to the Tata commitment towards the concept of trusteeship.

What, exactly, does trusteeship mean?
"Under it, all wealth is a social trust and every individual the employer, the engineer or even the ordinary mistry — is a trustee, entitled to its proper utilisation for the common good. True to the ideals of its founder, the House of Tata always promoted the concept," said Jayaprakash Narayan.

Jamsetji Tata, driven by visions of a vibrant, industrialised India, set the pace with the right idea that patchwork philanthropy — giving clothes to some and food to others — was not the right approach for a robust future. It was with this in mind that he launched the JN Tata Endowment Scheme for higher education in 1892, which supported future administrators, scientists, doctors, lawyers and engineers.

By 1924, over a third of Indian officials in the Indian Civil Service were Tata scholars. This roster also includes illustrious names like scientist Dr Raja Ramanna and former President K.R. Narayanan. The sons of the founder proved worthy torchbearers of concern for the community. The Tata Group is unique among Indian industrial groups, in that 63 per cent of the capital of the present firm, Tata Sons Limited, is held by Tata philanthropic trusts, endowed by Sir Dorabji Tata and Sir Ratan Tata, the two sons of Jamsetji Tata.

Sir Dorabji left behind most of his personal wealth, including substantial shareholdings in Tata Sons, Indian Hotels and allied companies, his landed property and his wife's jewellery to the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, registered a few months before his death. The trust is best known for promoting six pioneering institutions of national importance.

Sir Ratan Tata, who supported Mahatma Gandhi and Gopal Krishna Gokhale with funds, left directives in his will for his wealth to be used for basic and advanced education, primary and preventive health, rural livelihood and communities, art and culture ad public initiatives. The trust named after him was established in 1918. The fund prioritises projects based in rural India and those that involve the advancement of women and children.

Very often the two trusts move hand in hand. For instance, the Sir Ratan Tata Trust with a donation of Rs 25 lakhs, took the initiative to set up the JN Memorial Centre at Navsari, Gujarat, which as a civic centre, an auditorium and a library. Later, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and a number of Tata companies helped take that figure to Rs 55 lakhs.

Between themselves, the Tata trusts have created an infrastructure for the balanced development of the nation in science, technology and the social sciences. They have given India its first institute for social sciences, its first cancer hospital and research centre, and its first institute of fundamental research, which gave India a head start in its atomic energy programme.

There are many other trusts that disburse aid to various initiatives along with the major ones. The Jamsetji Tatax Trust, established in 1974 to mark the centenary of the first Tata enterprise, bestows grants for innovative efforts. The JRD and Thelma J. Tata Trust works to uplift women and children, and the JRD Tata Trust supports learning by way of institutional donations. It also gives research grants and scholarships, provides relief in the event of natural calamities and backs social welfare projects and philanthropic activities.